Quote: The five year life of the Yardbirds weathered major changes in the nature of rock and more than most bands, the Yardbirds aided in the transformation. The Yardbirds were crucial to the development of rock and roll from its roots in rhythm and blues to its growth into psychedelia and heavy metal.

At the heart of the band's distinctive sound were three of rock's most gifted guitarists: Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck and Jimmy Page. Each shouldered lead guitar duties during the band's brief history, Beck and Page simultaneously at one point and their technical innovations, as well as the prominence they have achieved since, have combined to create a Yardbirds legacy that has lasted considerably longer than the band itself.

As author and rock critic Dave Marsh stated in Rolling Stone, "The Yardbirds helped introduce almost every technical innovation in the rock of the period: feedback, modal playing, fuzztone, etc. Their influence can't be overestimated. Cream, Led Zeppelin, and heavy metal in general would have been inconceivable without them".